Xi'an
The Terracotta Army and the eastern gate of the Silk Road
Xi'an holds one of the great archaeological finds of the twentieth century: more than 7,000 life-size terracotta warriors, buried for two millennia and still only partly excavated. Add the Ming city wall — an intact 14-kilometer loop you can cycle — the Great Mosque in the Muslim Quarter, and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
Almost every visit includes a dumpling banquet and the Muslim Quarter street food. We add a hands-on workshop where you learn to pull biangbiang noodles yourself.
Places to see in Xi'an
The highlights we build into almost every Xi'an itinerary. Your own list can be longer, shorter, or somewhere else entirely.
Terracotta Army
7,000 life-size soldiers buried for 2,000 years. Go early and start with Pit 1.
Ming City Wall
Fourteen intact kilometers, best seen on two wheels in about 90 minutes.
Muslim Quarter
Lamb skewers, persimmon cakes, and the Great Mosque founded in 742 AD.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
The Tang-dynasty pagoda built to house sutras carried back from India.
Shaanxi History Museum
An excellent introduction to Chinese civilization anywhere in the country.
Tang Dynasty dinner show
A staged Tang court performance with an eighteen-course dumpling banquet.
Huaqing Hot Springs
Tang imperial baths at the foot of Lishan, where the emperor met his favorite concubine.
Small Wild Goose Pagoda
The quieter sister pagoda, in a garden with a museum of Xi'an roof tiles.
Bell and Drum Towers
The medieval center of the city, lit at night over a pedestrian square.
Forest of Steles
A 1,000-year library of stone tablets — calligraphy carved into 3,000 slabs.
More places in China
Tell us what you want to see in Xi'an
We do not publish fixed packages or prices, because almost nothing about a good trip to China is fixed. Send us your dates and interests and a specialist will design an itinerary around them — with a clear, itemized quotation.
- Your own English-speaking guide and private vehicle
- Hotels chosen for location, not for commission
- Tickets and permits booked on your behalf, including timed entries
- Free revisions until the trip is right
We reply to every inquiry within one business day.